Blog | breaking from above

"I wanna see which of the girls really wanna be in this band." - Mathew Knowles

In episode five, Mathew Knowles gathered together all the coaches the girls have worked with so far -- on fitness, vocals, choreography, and style -- and asked their opinions of each girl. I wonder what it was like for the girls to watch this episode and hear all the harsh things the coaches had to say about them.

In episode six, Mathew set up a big photo shoot for From Above. When the photographer started shouting random instructions like "Look sexy!" at the girls, I felt so lucky that I work from home. After the photo shoot, Mathew brought in choreographer Frank Gatson and asked for his help looking through the photos and evaluating each girl's body, moves, and voice. Throughout this show, I've been wondering if Mathew was as harsh on the girls of Destiny's Child -- especially Beyoncé -- as he is to these girls.

Random questions:Do you have anyone in your life as critical as Mathew Knowles? Do you find it motivating, or does it beat you down and crush your spirit?

After watching what the girls went through, would you want to participate in a pop star boot camp? (I'd love to take voice lessons and dance classes and have a fitness coach, but I don't think I could handle the intensity of working with Mathew.)

Mathew Knowles has made one thing clear: He is in complete control of the band From Above. On tonight's episode he wanted to take Siye down a notch, so he tried to show her that being the best vocally isn't enough to guarantee her a spot in the band. He thought the other girls would do just fine without her, but it seemed like that recording session he set up (where it was just Daisy, Ashley, and Monique) was kind of a mess.

Manipulative people really stress me out, so it was hard to watch Mathew messing with the girls' heads in this episode. After the meeting where he criticized Siye's body language, she was mad that the other girls hadn't stood up for her. But honestly... would you have confronted Mathew in that situation, if it meant risking your own spot in the band?

I want to say "If I'd been there, I would've defended Siye!" but maybe that's only because pop stardom isn't my dream? When Daisy talked about how ALL of the girls are afraid of being cut from the band, she meant it. Mathew has emphasized over and over that he's the one with all the power. If anyone questions him, he seems to take it personally and hold a grudge. I may not care about being a pop star, but I still wouldn't want to be on his bad side.

By the way, didn't it seem like he was unnecessarily harsh with Jasmine? He seems happiest when everyone around him is in tears. That's pretty messed up.

There are only two episodes left of Breaking From Above, guys... and they both air tomorrow night (at 8:30 and 9pm et) on TeenNick. If you've missed any episodes so far, watch them online in the Breaking From Above video playlist.

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Tonight's Breaking From Above (watch it here if you missed it) included a huge group hug, because Ashley finally made it to Houston! It also included an awkward, stressful dinner party at Mathew Knowles house. Did he really expect them to relax and have fun at his house? They know he's watching every move they make.

At one point in tonight's episode Mathew Knowles said, "There's a thin line between fear and motivation." Do you think he's just trying to scare the girls so they're motivated? If I'm trying to motivate someone, I'm more likely to encourage them and give them positive feedback... but Mathew Knowles and I are very different people.

Did you agree with the choice Mathew made at the end of the episode? Or would you have kicked someone else out?

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On tonight's episode, the girls of From Above found out why Mathew Knowles calls this a "boot camp." If you missed it, watch it here.

From Above started the day exercising in the hot sun with fitness coach Rozelle Jones (at least one of the girls threw up), and then went straight into a six-hour choreography session with Danielle Polanco. That right there is why I'm not a pop star. That and MANY other reasons, haha.

I was fascinated by the segment where Mathew Knowles asked members of his staff to watch the girls perform and vote on which girl they'd kick out, and then asked the girls in the band the same question. I feel like at this point, we still don't know the girls well enough to evaluate their talents, but I've already picked a favorite anyway -- I love Brandy!

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Did you watch Breaking From Above tonight? (If you missed the first episode, watch it online.)

"We're going to decide: Are we moving forward with the group, are we gonna change the group, or are we not gonna have the group?" -Mathew Knowles.

After watching the first episode, I'm glad he's Beyoncé's dad, and not my dad. This show seems like it's going to have LOTS of tears and drama.

Mathew Knowles claims "trust" is the one thing he needs from the girls, but it seems like he's making it pretty hard for them to trust him. I mean, he seems to want what's best for the band, but he's made it very clear that he could kick any of them out at any moment. How could any of the girls trust him in that situation? I know I wouldn't.

If you've seen the first episode, I have two questions for you:

Do you think this is an amazing opportunity for From Above, or are they headed into a boot camp from hell? I feel like things could get VERY MESSY in the next few episodes.

Would you trust Mathew Knowles' career advice? I'd probably stop listening the first time he made me cry.

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Are the five girls in From Above good enough to make it in the music industry? Mathew Knowles (a.k.a. Beyoncé's dad!) wants to find out.

Mathew Knowles plans to put From Above through his version of a pop music boot camp. To succeed, they'll have to work harder than they ever have before. Will From Above break out as stars... or will they break down under the pressure?